The Cleaning Cure-All
One of the most common mistakes we make in our quest for an ordered life is to substitute cleaning for organizing. The hair on my neck stands on end when people confuse cleaning with organizing. They call our company and innocently ask if we can come “clean up” their mess. Organizing shows on television like The Learning Channel’s Clean Sweep only add to the confusion by associating cleaning with organizing. Once people understand the difference between cleaning and organizing, they can focus on the real change they’ve been seeking.
Cleaning take the grime out of your living space. I love coming home to the smell of a freshly cleaned home. Cleaning is a maintenance activity that keeps germs at bay. However, cleaning does not tell you what you should do with the clutter. It does not provide a way to discover the purpose of each room and its appropriate contents. It does not help you understand or change your behavior.
The good news is that you can have both and organized and a clean home. When your space is organized, it is easier to clean because you can confidently return nomadic items to their appropriate location, and surfaces aren’t clogged with clutter. Cleaning may bring you short-term relief, but an organizing process will actually liberate you!
Related:
- Common Organizing Mistakes Part 1: Product Panacea
- Common Organizing Mistakes Part 2: The Rearranging Remedy
- Common Organizing Mistakes Part 4: The Stashing Solution
- Common Organizing Mistakes Part 5: The Tidying Trick
- Common Organizing Mistakes Part 6: The Cookie Cutter
- Common Organizing Mistakes Part 7: Why We Cheat
- Common Organizing Mistakes Part 8: Due Diligence
